Why does water hardness vary across Vermont?

Water hardness varies across Vermont because utilities can use different groundwater wells, reservoirs, treatment plants, blends, and distribution zones. Private wells can also differ from nearby municipal water.

What city in Vermont has the hardest water?

Randolph has the hardest water among higher-confidence Vermont city pages at 184 PPM. Check the city page for local systems and ZIP codes before making treatment decisions.

Does this include municipal water, well water, or both?

The state report combines public water system records, utility reports, and USGS monitoring where available. Municipal treated-water records are preferred when present. Private well hardness can vary at the address level and should be confirmed with a local test.

How many water systems are in Vermont?

Vermont has 405 active community water systems serving 248 cities.

Water Hardness in Vermont

Average: 75 PPMSlightly Hard248 cities405 water systems

State report

Is Vermont Water Hard or Soft?

Vermont water is slightly hard on average at 75 PPM (4.4 GPG). Local readings can vary by utility, aquifer, treatment plant, and private well use.

State average

75 PPM

Slightly Hard

Local coverage

248 cities

405 water systems

Source profile

123 ZIPs

direct or USGS-backed

51% of covered ZIPs use nearby, county, or state estimates, so confirm local readings before sizing treatment equipment.

Methodology Data sources Search by ZIP code

State data profile

How to read the Vermont results

State pages are screening and comparison hubs. They summarize ZIP, city, and water-system patterns so you can find the local page that best matches your home or utility.

Direct or USGS-backed ZIPs

123 of 249

49% use treated-water records or USGS monitoring.

Estimated ZIP values

126 ZIPs

51% use nearby, county, or state-level fallback values.

Dataset update

March 9, 2026

Source coverage and rollups are rebuilt from the public dataset.

Use the source coverage below to judge how much local confirmation a specific city or ZIP needs. The methodology page explains the source hierarchy, weighting, and limitations.

State Average

75 PPM

Slightly Hard

Coverage

248 cities

405 water systems in the state rollup.

Data Source Coverage

ZIP-level source mix for Vermont; higher direct and USGS coverage means less reliance on regional estimates.

249 ZIPs covered

Verified treated water

Utility, CCR, or state treated-water records

27%

66 ZIPs

High-confidence USGS

Environmental monitoring matched to local systems

23%

57 ZIPs

Estimated

Nearby, county, or state-level fallback values

51%

126 ZIPs

In Vermont, 27% of ZIPs use verified treated-water records, 23% use high-confidence USGS monitoring, and 51% use estimates that should be confirmed locally for treatment decisions.

What the Data Shows in Vermont

Most classified ZIPs in Vermont are below the hard-water threshold, though local systems can still vary.

Vermont relies heavily on nearby, county, or state estimates: 51% of ZIPs use fallback values, so local testing matters more here than in states with stronger direct coverage.

Use the city table below to compare local results. For estimated locations or unusually high readings, confirm with your utility or a home hardness test before sizing treatment equipment.

ZIP Hardness Distribution

Soft31% (78)

Slightly Hard54% (135)

Moderately Hard2% (6)

Hard12% (30)

Very Hard0% (0)

Treatment Takeaway

Hardness treatment is less likely to be needed statewide, but local water systems can still differ from the state pattern. Test first if you see scale or spotting.

How to Use This Data

Because estimated ZIP values are common in Vermont, use this page for screening and compare against a utility report or home test before buying equipment.

Source-Backed Water Systems in Vermont

Large systems with treated-water reports or USGS monitoring behind the state rollup.

Review source labels

Water system	Hardness	Source label	Population
Burlington Dept Public Works Water Div VT0005053 - Chittenden County	69 PPM Slightly Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	42,000
South Burlington City Water System VT0005091 - Chittenden County	69 PPM Slightly Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	19,500
Colchester Water System VT0021810 - Chittenden County	69 PPM Slightly Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	11,299
East Wind Mhp VT0005287 - Washington County	69 PPM Slightly Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	100
Bennington Water Dept VT0005016 - Bennington County	7 PPM Soft	USGS monitoring High Confidence - USGS Monitoring	13,250
Springfield Water Dept VT0005333 - Windsor County	30 PPM Soft	USGS monitoring High Confidence - USGS Monitoring	9,800
Essex Town Water System VT0005065 - Chittenden County	104 PPM Slightly Hard	USGS monitoring High Confidence - USGS Monitoring	9,734
Essex Jct Water Dept VT0005066 - Chittenden County	104 PPM Slightly Hard	USGS monitoring High Confidence - USGS Monitoring	9,500

Useful Vermont City Pages

Shortcuts to city pages backed by more ZIP-code or water-system data.

Cities With More Local Data

East Corinth

2 ZIPs · 1 system

Slightly Hard (69 PPM)

Slightly Hard (103 PPM)

Montpelier

1 ZIP · 13 systems

Slightly Hard (96 PPM)

Killington

1 ZIP · 13 systems

Soft (21 PPM)

Prioritize cities with multiple ZIPs and systems, then use source badges on each city page to separate verified treated-water records from estimates.

Top 10 Hardest Water Cities

#	City	Hardness
1	Randolph	Hard (184 PPM)
2	Montpelier	Slightly Hard (96 PPM)
3	Essex Junction	Slightly Hard (76 PPM)
4	Williston	Slightly Hard (73 PPM)
5	Hinesburg	Slightly Hard (70 PPM)
6	Bolton Valley	Slightly Hard (70 PPM)
7	Jericho Center	Slightly Hard (70 PPM)
8	Milton	Slightly Hard (69 PPM)
9	Charlotte	Slightly Hard (69 PPM)
10	South Burlington	Slightly Hard (69 PPM)

Top 10 Softest Water Cities

#	City	Hardness
1	Wilmington	Soft (2 PPM)
2	Manchester Cente	Soft (7 PPM)
3	Bennington	Soft (7 PPM)
4	Pownal	Soft (7 PPM)
5	Ludlow	Soft (10 PPM)
6	Rutland	Soft (17 PPM)
7	Killington	Soft (21 PPM)
8	South Londonderr	Soft (25 PPM)
9	White River Junc	Soft (50 PPM)
10	Shelburne	Slightly Hard (69 PPM)

All Cities in Vermont

City pages marked Estimated use fallback values and should be confirmed with local testing or utility data.

AdamantSlightly Hard AlbanyHard AlburgSlightly Hard ArlingtonSoft BakersfieldSlightly Hard BarnardSoft BarnetSlightly Hard BarreSlightly Hard BartonSlightly Hard Beecher FallsSlightly Hard Bellows FallsSoft BelmontSoft Belvidere CenterSlightly Hard BenningtonSoft BethelSoft Bolton ValleySlightly Hard BondvilleSoft BradfordSlightly Hard BrandonSoft BrattleboroSoft Bread LoafHard BridgewaterSlightly Hard Bridgewater CornSlightly Hard BridportSlightly Hard BristolHard Bromley MtnSoft BrookfieldSlightly Hard BrownsvilleSlightly Hard BurlingtonSlightly Hard CabotSlightly Hard CalaisSlightly Hard CambridgeSlightly Hard CanaanSlightly Hard CastletonSoft CavendishSlightly Hard Center RutlandSoft CharlotteSlightly Hard ChelseaHard ChesterSlightly Hard ChittendenSoft ColchesterSlightly Hard ConcordSlightly Hard CorinthSlightly Hard CoventrySlightly Hard CraftsburySlightly Hard Craftsbury CommoSlightly Hard CuttingsvilleSoft DanbySoft DanvilleSlightly Hard DerbyModerately Hard Derby LineSlightly Hard DorsetSoft East ArlingtonSoft East BarreHard East BurkeSlightly Hard East CalaisSlightly Hard East CharlestonSlightly Hard East CorinthSlightly Hard East DorsetSoft East DoverSoft East FairfieldSlightly Hard East HardwickSlightly Hard East HavenSlightly Hard East MontpelierSlightly Hard East RandolphSlightly Hard East ThetfordSoft East WallingfordSoft EdenSlightly Hard Eden MillsSlightly Hard Enosburg FallsSlightly Hard Essex JunctionSlightly Hard Fair HavenSoft FairfaxSlightly Hard FairfieldSlightly Hard FairleeSlightly Hard FerrisburgHard FlorenceSoft FranklinSlightly Hard GaysvilleSlightly Hard GilmanSlightly Hard GloverSlightly Hard GraftonSoft GranbySlightly Hard Grand IsleSlightly Hard GranitevilleSlightly Hard GranvilleHard GreensboroSlightly Hard Greensboro BendSlightly Hard GrotonSlightly Hard GuildhallSlightly Hard HancockHard HardwickSlightly Hard HartlandHard Highgate CenterSlightly Hard HinesburgSlightly Hard HubbardtonSoft HuntingtonSlightly Hard Hyde ParkHard IrasburgSlightly Hard Island PondModerately Hard Isle La MotteSlightly Hard JacksonvilleSoft JamaicaSoft Jay PeakHard Jericho CenterSlightly Hard JohnsonHard KillingtonSoft Leicester JunctiHard LowellSlightly Hard LudlowSoft LunenburgSlightly Hard LyndonvilleSlightly Hard ManchesterSoft Manchester CenteSoft MarlboroSoft MarshfieldSlightly Hard Middletown SprinSoft MiltonSlightly Hard Montgomery CenteSlightly Hard MontpelierSlightly Hard MoretownSlightly Hard Morgan CtrSlightly Hard MorrisvilleHard Mount HollySoft Mount SnowSoft New HavenHard NewburySlightly Hard NewfaneSoft NewportSlightly Hard Newport CenterHard North BenningtonSoft North ClarendonSoft North ConcordSlightly Hard North FerrisburgHard North HartlandHard North HeroSlightly Hard North MontpelierSlightly Hard North PomfretSlightly Hard North PownalSoft North SpringfielSlightly Hard Northfield FallsSlightly Hard NortonSlightly Hard NorwichSoft OrleansSlightly Hard OrwellHard PawletSoft PerkinsvilleSlightly Hard PeruSoft PittsfieldSoft PittsfordSoft PlainfieldSlightly Hard PlymouthSoft Post MillsSlightly Hard PoultneySoft PownalSoft ProctorSoft ProctorsvilleSlightly Hard PutneySoft QuecheeSlightly Hard RandolphHard Randolph CenterSlightly Hard ReadingSlightly Hard ReadsboroSoft RichfordModerately Hard RiptonHard RivertonModerately Hard RochesterHard RoxburySlightly Hard RutlandSoft RyegateSlightly Hard Saint AlbansSlightly Hard Saint JohnsburyModerately Hard SalisburyHard Saxtons RiverSoft ShaftsburySoft SharonSlightly Hard SheffieldSlightly Hard ShelburneSlightly Hard SheldonSlightly Hard ShorehamHard Smugglers NotchSlightly Hard South BurlingtonSlightly Hard South HeroSlightly Hard South LondonderrSoft South NewfaneSoft South PomfretSlightly Hard South RoyaltonSoft South RyegateSlightly Hard South StraffordSlightly Hard South WoodstockSlightly Hard SpringfieldSoft StamfordSoft StarksboroModerately Hard StockbridgeSlightly Hard StoweHard StraffordSlightly Hard Sugarbush ValleySlightly Hard SuttonSlightly Hard SwantonSlightly Hard TaftsvilleSlightly Hard Thetford CenterSoft TownshendSoft TroyHard TunbridgeSlightly Hard UnderhillSlightly Hard VergennesSoft VernonSoft VershireSlightly Hard WaitsfieldSlightly Hard WallingfordSoft WardsboroSoft WashgtinHard WaterburySlightly Hard Waterbury CenterSlightly Hard WatervilleHard WebstervilleSlightly Hard WellsSoft Wells RiverSlightly Hard West BurkeSlightly Hard West CharlestonSlightly Hard West DanvilleSlightly Hard West FairleeSlightly Hard West GloverSlightly Hard West HalifaxSoft West HartfordSlightly Hard West PawletSoft West RupertSoft West RutlandSoft West TopshamSlightly Hard West TownshendSoft West WardsboroSoft WestfieldHard WestfordSlightly Hard WestminsterSoft WestonSlightly Hard White River JuncSoft WhitinghamSoft WilderSoft WilliamstownHard WilliamsvilleSoft WillistonSlightly Hard WilmingtonSoft WindsorSlightly Hard WinooskiSlightly Hard WolcottSlightly Hard WoodburySlightly Hard WoodstockSoft WorcesterSlightly Hard